By Steven Smith | Current Newsletter , Financial News , Investment Management , Newsletters
Every time I sit down to write a quarterly client note reviewing the investment news of the most recent quarter, there’s a conflagration brewing in the current quarter that overwhelms the discussion. This quarter is no different.
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Newsletters
Our friends at Dimensional Fund Advisors graciously provide us with a robust and detailed review of the world capital market performance. Attached is their Quarterly Market Review. The report includes: a global overview, timeline of events, and the returns of asset classes in both US and international markets. Also included are returns for globally diversified index portfolios […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Newsletters
The coining of a new phrase – “taper tantrum” – spiced up a volatile second quarter. Reacting swiftly to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s late June announcement that there was some evidence of improvement in the economy and a possible change in the Fed’s accommodative monetary policy, skittish investors precipitously sold both stocks (from May’s […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Financial News , Investment Management , Newsletters , Risk Management , Wealth Management
Following up on my 1st Quarter Client Note, I am providing a more robust and detailed review of the world capital market performance, graciously provided by our friends at Dimensional Fund Advisors. Attached is their Quarterly Market Review. The report includes: a global overview, timeline of events, and the returns of asset classes in both US and […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Investment Management , Newsletters , Wealth Management
Reflecting relief from the New Year’s Eve (at least temporary) avoidance of the “fiscal cliff,” equity markets continued their strong recovery from the financial crisis of 2008. Economic activity in the US also continued to pick up, albeit at a slow pace. (On average, although fairly volatile from quarter-to-quarter, GDP continues to grow at about […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Newsletters
It is sometimes said that the stock market climbs a “wall of worry” – meaning that it overcomes uncertainty, or even bad news. By any measure, that is what happened in 2012. And there remains plenty of uncertainty for 2013. Believe it or not, this year will mark the fifth anniversary of the 2008 financial […]
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The S&P 500 Index rose 12.59% during the quarter. This was on top of an 11.82% increase in the 4th quarter of 2011, reaching a four year high in March. After a difficult 2011, international developed markets stocks rose nearly 11% and emerging markets increased by 13.65%. Even Japan, the ultimate financial zombie, marked its […]
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This quarter’s equity market performance was characterized by significant volatility. Following an upward move in April, the market fell steadily for nearly two months. A strong rally in the last week of June left the S & P 500 with a fractional loss (-.10%, including dividends) for the quarter. Other asset classes were all over […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Newsletters
Despite extraordinary seismic (Japan) and geopolitical (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya) events during the first quarter, the equity markets experienced a strong gain. The S & P 500 Index returned 5.92%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, up 6.41%, had its best first quarter since 1998. Mid and small-cap stocks continued to outpace large company stocks and for […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Newsletters
Once again RightPath, is a sponsor of SustainaBiz (http://bookwhen.com/sustainabiz), the third annual conference on sustainable business practices co-sponsored by Summit Independent Business Alliance and Our Future Summit. Held on April 27, this is a great, community oriented all-day event dedicated to making sustainability a reality. There will be speakers, panels and round tables, all geared toward […]
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